Various kinds of paper-sheet handling systems for storing therein a paper sheet such as a banknote, a check and so on have been conventionally known in general. In such a paper-sheet handling system, a paper sheet is taken to the inside through an inlet opening. When a command for cancelling storing is given by a higher-level apparatus or a user after the paper sheet has been taken to the inside, the paper sheet is generally returned through a return opening.
In a case where a plurality of paper sheets of largely differed lengths are stored by a user into the paper-sheet handling system, after the plurality of paper sheets have been taken to the inside of the apparatus through the inlet opening, when the user or the like gives a command for cancelling storing by pressing down a storing cancel button, for example, it is desirable that the plurality of paper sheets of largely differed lengths are collectively returned in a bundle state through the return opening, upon the storing cancellation. In particular, it is preferable that the plurality of paper sheets of different lengths are returned in a bundle state, with designated portions (e.g., front end edges, rear end edges and so on) in a transport direction being aligned with each other, or that the paper sheets are retuned in a bundle state, with designated portions in the transport direction of adjacent paper sheets being displaced from each other by a predetermined amount.
Patent Document 1 discloses a banknote temporary storage apparatus in which a drum wound by an endless belt is rotated, so that banknotes are escrowed (stored) in a bundle state on the belt. In the banknote temporary storage apparatus shown in Patent Document 1, a rotation speed of the drum is configured to be synchronized with a feeding speed of banknotes. In addition, Patent Document 2 discloses a banknote handling apparatus which uses an endless belt instead of a drum, in order to escrow banknotes in a bundle state. To be more specific, in the banknote handling apparatus shown in Patent Document 2, a bundle of paper sheet(s) is sandwiched between a pair of endless belts so as to be escrowed.    Patent Document 1: JP6-32514A    Patent Document 2: JP6-131530A